


The One Where Benji Convinces Brandt to Kiss Ethan

by thebookishdark



Series: What's the Password? [2]
Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies), Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Genre: Asexual Character, Established Relationship, M/M, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-01-20
Packaged: 2018-05-14 21:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5759623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebookishdark/pseuds/thebookishdark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a solid relationship, quiet and settled, much in the way their working lives are not... until Benji throws out a suggestion and can't let the idea go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Where Benji Convinces Brandt to Kiss Ethan

It’s a post-mission decompression when the topic’s first brought up. They’re sitting on the couch drinking. Benji finishes his beer and leans over Brandt to put the bottle on the side table and doesn’t bother to right himself, instead lying in Brandt’s lap. He closes his eyes and hums when Brandt starts messing with his hair. They stay like that for a while, with only the TV for background noise—some new show on Syfy—until Brandt breaks the silence.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Hmm?” Benji doesn’t open his eyes, and Brandt doesn’t stop scratching his scalp.

“I can see you thinking, you know.”

Benji opens his eyes and Brandt’s smiling down at him. He smiles back and then he opens his mouth, closes it, then opens it again. “You know you could have sex with other people, right? If you wanted, that is, I mean, I don’t _mind_ if you wanted?”

“Benji?”

“Yeah?”

“You know I love you and respect you, right?”

Benji rolls his eyes, “ _Obviously._ ”

“And you know that I don’t mind that you don’t want to have sex? It’s not that important to me.”

“Yeah but, you know, that’s why the offer’s out there, really, that it’s fine with me if you ever wanted to—like if you, I don’t know, met someone and wanted to, you could? I mean, probably talk to me first, so I know, and if it’s someone I don’t know I want to do some research, make sure it’s not someone who wants to _kill us_ , but you’re the analyst, really, so you’d know already, probably—“

“Benji.”

Benji stops talking, but Brandt’s still smiling fondly at him.

“It’s fine. You’re enough,” he leans down to kiss Benji softly, “you’re enough.”

“Okay.”

“Besides, who would I even have sex _with_ , it’s not like I’m going to have sex with a stranger.”

Benji shrugs. “I dunno, Ethan, maybe?”

Brandt opens his mouth and then closes it again, quiet. Benji starts to grin the more the silence stretches.

“You’re thinking about it aren’t you?” He’s practically vibrating, now, giddy with the thought of uncovering some repressed crush of Brandt’s.

“I—well.” Benji waits, gives him time to gather his words, but they don’t come. He scrambles up and ends up straddling Brandt to clutch his face in his hands.

“William Brandt do you have a crush on Ethan.”

“I don’t have a _crush_ on _Ethan_ , Benji.”

“You do, you so do, you want to kiss Ethan! Oh my god, please kiss Ethan.”

“I’m not going to kiss Ethan. Besides, Ethan probably doesn’t want to kiss _me_.”

“You say that but your face, which is blushing, by the way, you’re blushing, says that you _do_. And I’m not judging you, Will, Ethan is a very pretty man and I _hear_ he is very good in bed, he has quite the reputation.”

“I don’t want to think about Ethan Hunt’s reputation in bed. In fact, the only bed I want to think about is _ours_ and with only us in it. Come on.”

Benji groans but gets off of Brandt’s lap and follows him to bed. He is tired, now that he thinks about it. Later, while he’s lying in bed, he sends a text to Ethan.

_To: Agent Hunt  
may have rekindled brandt’s repressed crush on you. if he’s weird about it in the next couple days it’s because i said he wanted to kiss you. sorry!_

\--- 

The next morning Benji wakes up wrapped around Brandt. He can tell he’s awake by his breathing.

“’M sorry, ‘bout last night, didn’t mean to push you about it.”

It’s quiet for a second before Brandt sighs. “You were right, though. It was back when I joined the IMF. I had heard rumors about Ethan, and I was expecting some sort of jock, you know? Really self-involved and brags about all the stuff he’s done. But then I met him and he just had this quiet grace. He was impressive on his own and didn’t need to brag. Down to Earth, gave his team the credit they deserved, knew he was better when he wasn’t on his own but could hold his own. It was, well, intriguing, I guess.”

“I can’t blame you, really, I think half the IMF’s had a crush on Ethan.”

“It went away when I found out he was married.”

“And now I’ve unearthed it, and it’s going to consume you until you finally kiss him?”

Brandt laughs quietly, and Benji smiles with him. Benji’s phone buzzes, breaking the moment. He rolls over and grabs it off the nightstand.

_From: Agent Hunt  
What do you want me to do about it?_

Benji rolls back, and Brandt’s eyes are open, looking at him quizzically.

“So. Uh, I may have texted Ethan last night.” Benji grimaces.

“You didn’t.”

“It’s fine! I’ll tell him the crush was years ago and now you respect him! Unless you want me to tell him that you want to kiss him? We could invite him over. We have the day off. Have a couple beers, see where it goes…” Benji trails off and Brandt gives him a flat look. “Fine, fine, respect it is.”

_To: Agent Hunt  
i regret to inform you that he’s telling me to say that his crush was years ago and has morphed into respect. /i/ on the other hand, am fully encouraging him to embrace the fact that he still wants to kiss your face._

“Benji, you’re smiling, and that, in this situation, is not a good thing.”

“Fine, fine, the phone is going away, I will stop texting Ethan about how much you want to kiss him, on the condition that you come over here and kiss me.” Benji grins as Brandt rolls his eyes and leans forward to kiss him. They do have a day off after that mission, might as well enjoy it.

\--- 

It doesn’t come up again until the next day at work. Brandt runs into Ethan first thing in the morning, because of course he does, but Brandt is determined to remain professional and not even _think_ about his long-dead crush on Ethan—which, as Ethan walks closer and closer to him, smiling, Brandt realizes it may not be as dead as he thought.

“Brandt! Just the man I wanted to see.” Ethan claps Brandt on the shoulder and he jumps, just a fraction, but he’s sure Ethan noticed.

“Ethan. What’s up?” He looks Ethan in the face, and he seems like he’s closer than usual, which is odd, and most likely a play—whatever Benji sent in that text is _definitely_ bad because Brandt is pretty sure he’s blushing, and Ethan knows, he _knows_ and that’s bad. Ethan and Benji make a dangerous team, he’s seen it, and he has never wanted to be on this side of a scheme. Brandt swallows and schools his features, looking professionally interested instead of… whatever kind of interested Brandt might be.

“Drinks and Chinese food at my place tonight. You and Benji in?”

“Yeah, sounds good, we weren’t planning anything for tonight.”

“Great!” Ethan shoots him a smile while he’s walking off and it’s brighter than usual, Ethan thinks, but it’s suspect, too. It’s too similar to the smile he uses on missions when he’s trying to lull assets into a false sense of security. Brandt’s seen it dozens of times. Maybe his conversation last night with Benji is throwing him off, but maybe they _are_ planning something. Either way he’ll have to keep his eye out.

\--- 

Benji’s sitting at his computer, working on hacking into a Beirut embassy computer remotely as a favor to a friend when he gets a text.

_From: Agent Hunt  
Brandt’s crush not as dead as he thinks. Dinner @ mine tonight._

_To: Agent Hunt  
omg did he say something? is this a date?_

_From: Agent Hunt  
Didn’t say anything, physical signs. Not a date, a test._

_To: Agent Hunt  
looking forward to it_

\--- 

Benji walks out of the building and finds Brandt waiting for him, usual cup of tea in hand.

“Ethan invited us to drinks and Chinese food at his place.”

“Hello to you too,” Benji says as he leans over and kisses Brandt. “Also, that sounds lovely, I hope you accepted.”

“Don’t worry, I did.” Brandt looks apprehensive, and Benji smiles softly.

“I didn’t plan this if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Brandt smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Of course you didn’t.”

“I didn’t!” Benji feels the need to defend his honor even though Brandt is smiling at him, obviously teasing.

“Alright, let’s go.” Brandt slips his hand into Benji’s and starts walking down the sidewalk. Ethan’s apartment is by far the closest to the IMF headquarters, and afterwards they’ll probably either crash at Ethan’s or walk home, depending on how much they have to drink. It doesn’t take long for them to get there.

Ethan answers the door after the second knock. He greets them with a smile and a hug and Benji notices that Ethan’s playing dirty—his shirt is partially unbuttoned, one more than usual, and his shirtsleeves are rolled up past his elbows. He steals a look at Brandt and he has definitely also noticed. Ethan doesn’t let on and instead ushers them inside.

Brandt starts out the night rather stiff, flicking his eyes between Ethan and Benji. Benji even feels bad for him, but by the time they’ve finished their food he seems like he’s relaxed into it. It’s no different than any of their previous get-togethers: food, beer, some random movie on in the background.

Benji notices, however, that Ethan—who is normally pretty physically affectionate with people he trusts—is sitting closer to Brandt that usual, initiating more casual contact, leaning in closer and smiling more. It’s brilliant, really, starting out subtle and increasing in intensity until Brandt notices. He can tell the exact moment when Brandt realizes what Ethan’s doing because he stiffens slightly and blushes. Ethan lets up and after a few minutes Brandt relaxes again. It’s expert, really, and Benji is sort of jealous. Not that Ethan’s flirting with his boyfriend but that Ethan is doing it so _well_.

Eventually it gets late, and they’ve gotten nowhere except very drunk. Somewhere along the way Ethan stops systematically testing Brandt, seemingly content with what he’s discovered. Brandt gets up to go to the bathroom and Benji slides over to Ethan.

“I may—I may have a plan.”

Ethan merely raises an eyebrow, and Benji winks and moves back to his seat before Brandt comes back. Brandt comes back, notices that Benji is grinning, and sits down slowly, trying to figure out what’s going to happen in advance. As soon as he settles back in Benji stands up and saunters over to him, straddling his lap and getting into his face.

“Benji?” Brandt’s voice has gone hushed, surprised. They’re usually really tame around their friends—holding hands, casual touches, and a few small kisses at most—but this was decidedly not tame, and Ethan was sitting right there, within touching distance.

“Yeah?” Benji leans closer and kisses Brandt, softly.

“What’re you doing?” It’s slightly muffled against Benji’s lips and he laughs and pulls away.

“Kissing you, what does it look like?”

“I can see that, but Ethan’s sitting right here. We’re still in his house, Benj.”

“Yeah.” He kisses Brandt again, more insistent and for longer. He pulls away and looks at Ethan, smiling. “You don’t mind, do you Ethan?”

“Course not. Carry on.” He smirks.

“See? Ethan doesn’t mind.” Benji leans back in and kisses Brandt soundly. Brandt makes a sound akin to a squeak before grabbing onto Benji’s face and deepening the kiss. They kiss for a few minutes before Benji pulls back and he simply sits on Brandt’s lap breathing for a second. “Wasn’t that nice?” Brandt looks a bit dazed, flicking his eyes between Benji’s lips and eyes.

“Yeah.” He licks his lip.

“Ethan?” Benji turns to Ethan. “Your verdict?”

“Very nice.”

Benji turns back to Brandt. “See, even Ethan thinks it’s nice.” He leans down and kisses him again, but softer, gentler. “Will?” Benji only pulls away enough to speak, forehead touching Brandt’s.

“Yeah?” It’s barely a whisper.

“I think you want to kiss Ethan.”

Brandt swallows and flicks his eyes over to Ethan, who is sitting right next to them, watching, with a small smile on his face.

Benji picks up his voice a bit but doesn’t stop looking at Brandt. “Ethan, wouldn’t you like to kiss Brandt?”

Ethan hums appreciatively. “I’ve definitely thought about it.”

“That’s Ethan-talk for yes, Will, so if you want to you just say the word. Do you?”

Benji leans back, and Brandt keeps looking from Benji to Ethan and back.

“Well, while you’re thinking about it, maybe _I’ll_ kiss Ethan.” He turns to Ethan and raises an eyebrow, and Ethan leans forward slowly, gently placing a hand on Benji’s face. They kiss, gently, and Brandt makes a noise from underneath Benji.

Benji pulls away from Ethan and looks back and Brandt, smiling. “Do you want to kiss Ethan, Will?”

“Yeah—yeah, I do.” It’s said in a rush of breath, as if Brandt has to get it out before he overthinks it. Still, Ethan leans in slowly, giving Brandt every opportunity to take it back or change his mind. He doesn’t.

It’s soft at first, tentative, Ethan letting Brandt call the shots. It doesn’t stay that way for long, as Brandt lets himself out of denial—he wants this, and Ethan wants this, and Benji wants this to happen, so why not let it. They kiss for a while, Benji smiling the whole time, still sitting on Brandt’s lap, watching, until he starts to doze.

He ends up leaning against Ethan’s shoulder for support, which causes Ethan to pull back, leaving a very dazed Brandt behind. Benji wakes with a start at the movement, then rubs at his eyes.

“That’s enough for tonight, you need to get to bed.” Ethan stands and helps Benji off of Brandt’s lap before giving Brandt a hand up off the couch.

Benji hums an affirmative and starts on autopilot towards Ethan’s room.

“Benji, that—“ Brandt starts, but Ethan silences him with a pat on the shoulder and a shake of his head.

“It’s fine. The bed’s big enough for three.” They follow Benji into the room and find him flopped on the bed. It takes both of them to take off his shoes and maneuver him under the covers before they climb in after him, each taking a side.

Benji falls asleep warm and comfortable, with two bodies bracketing him in, and he’s smiling the whole time. Brandt and Ethan aren’t far behind.

\--- 

Brandt wakes up on edge, the bed and sheets feel unfamiliar and even though Benji is here with him, he eventually has to open his eyes and reorient himself. The first thing he sees is Ethan still sleeping on the other side of Benji and _oh_ , oh right, he remembers last night. He closes his eyes and tucks his face into Benji’s neck. Maybe if he ignores it his face will stop burning and he’ll forget that he kissed Ethan, forget that maybe he wants to _keep_ kissing Ethan—but, well, isn’t that what Benji _wanted_? He tries to fall back to sleep in a vain attempt to put off making a decision until he’s not in someone else’s bed, but as soon as he even gets close he wakes back up to the sound of Ethan waking up on the other side of the bed. Brandt tries to feign sleep, keep his breathing even and deep, keep his body loose, but by the amused huff of breath from Ethan he knows he failed. Ethan pauses by Brandt’s side of the bed, and Brandt nearly holds his breath, unsure of what to expect. He hears the slide of a drawer—oh, right, the dresser was on this side of the room. He relaxes, then immediately stiffens again when Ethan places a warm hand on his shoulder, sweeping his thumb across his skin, once, twice, a squeeze, and then it’s gone. Brandt shivers, and he’s not sure if it was the warmth of Ethan’s hand or the fact that he took it away. There’s another huff of laughter from the doorway and then Ethan’s gone, sounds coming from the bathroom.

Benji starts shaking and for a second Brandt’s worried he’s having a nightmare until he realizes that Benji’s eyes are open and he’s laughing.

Brandt’s voice is hushed but incredulous. “Were you awake this _whole time_?” Benji starts laughing harder and Brandt pushes him in the shoulder. “You asshole! Stop laughing at me, this is all your fault.” If anything that just makes Benji laugh more.

“Sorry, sorry,” Benji wheezes, “it’s just that—you, you _shivered_ like something out of a naughty romance novel.”

“I—“ Brandt starts then scowls, realizing that he sort of _did_. “It’s still your fault.”

“I take full responsibility for the fact that you now want to bang Ethan.”

Brandt blushes and pushes his face back into Benji’s neck. When he speaks it’s muffled. “I do not.”

“Will, honey, I love you and you’re an excellent spy but you are not being subtle, here.”

Brandt just groans. He knows. He _knows_ he’s being completely obvious and that’s what’s infuriating. He’s usually so good at not letting anything show that he doesn’t want to. Well, it would probably work better if all his friends weren’t _spies_.

“Hey, Brandt, Ethan’s getting out of the shower. We should probably get ready to go home so we can go to work.”

Brandt rolls over and rubs at his eyes. “Yeah. You’re right.”

Benji rolls into him and smiles against his ear before whispering, “Or, you could have sex with Ethan while I get ready and we could just borrow some clothes.”

“You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you.” Benji just laughs and rolls over Brandt to get out of bed. Brandt follows a second later. Ten minutes later they’re out the door, having said their goodbyes and gathered their things. Ethan gave them both a small kiss at the door, and Brandt blushes the whole way home while Benji holds his hand and laughs at him.

\--- 

It’s later that night, after a long day of work, and Benji has been suspiciously quiet about the topic all day. They’re lying in bed and it’s oddly reminiscent of the other night, when the topic was first brought up. The atmosphere is the same and Brandt knows Benji’s going to open his mouth to speak before Benji does.

“We should probably talk about it, right?”

“About Ethan?”

“Yeah. And I—I’ve been thinking and I, um, I’m sorry, if I pressured you into that, we should’ve talked about it _first_ and we didn’t and—“

“Hey, hey, no. You’re fine, Benj.” Brandt kisses him softly. “I mean, we probably should’ve talked about it, but it’s not like I didn’t, uh, want to. You didn’t make me do anything I didn’t want to if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Benji nods a little, and it’s quiet for a few seconds before he bites his lip and continues. “So, uh, about Ethan… Is that a thing we want?”

“Polyamory?”

“Yeah. Yeah, because I mean, _I_ certainly love Ethan—platonically, you know, he’s my best friend—and if you want to bring him in to this relationship then that would be okay with me? Better than okay, really, the more the merrier and all that.”

“Benj, I don’t have romantic feelings towards Ethan.”

“Yeah but, sexual feelings? Friends with benefits is a legitimate relationship status, honestly.”

“I—“ He swallows. “I could definitely do that. If Ethan wanted to, that is.”

“Oh, trust me, if Ethan didn’t want to have sex with you he wouldn’t have gone this far.”

“We still have to talk to him about it though.”

“Yeah. Invite him over tomorrow night?”

“Sounds like a date.”

Benji smiles and kisses Brandt before closing his eyes and tucking himself more firmly into Brandt’s space. “Good,” he whispers before nodding off.

In the morning Benji texts Ethan.

_To: Agent Hunt  
dinner at our place tonight? brandt’s cooking. definitely a date._

_From: Agent Hunt  
I’ll be there. What’s he making?_

_To: Agent Hunt  
kassler  & knödel i think_

_From: Agent Hunt  
Sounds German_

_To: Agent Hunt  
family recipe_

\--- 

Brandt, luckily, has half the day off—Hunley had him attend a meeting for him in the morning but for whatever reason they’ve hit a lull in cases for the IMF, most being delegated to the CIA or foreign agencies. Benji’s still working on a favor for a friend, so he won’t be home until later, and that gives Brandt plenty of time to get the apartment ready and cook. A blessing, really, but also a curse—more time to prepare but more time to think about the thousands of consequences this could have.

He puts on some music and gets to work so he doesn’t have to think about worst-case scenarios. Before he knows it, Benji’s on his way in, laughing, with Ethan trailing behind him. Benji calls out a “Honey, I’m ho~ome!” like they’re on some sitcom from the 50’s, and it’s so ridiculous and endearing that Brandt has to smile. Benji makes his way into the kitchen and kisses him before heading to the fridge to grab a couple beers.

Dinner’s ready a few minutes later, and everyone gathers in the kitchen to make their plates, and it’s surprisingly comfortable, even though Brandt knows what they’re here for, it’s too much like every other time he’s cooked dinner and had friends over. The only difference this time is, well, they’re going to talk about him having sex with Ethan.

Benji makes eye contact with him from across the table, as if he can read his mind, and then shoots a glance at Ethan. He opens his mouth and pauses for a second before speaking. “So, Ethan, Brandt and I had a discussion last night. Will?”

Brandt shoots a look at Benji, he just threw him under the whole damn bus, here, didn’t he. He looks at Ethan and opens his mouth, then has to close it for a second while he gathers his words. “We wanted to know if you wanted to be a part of,” he pauses and gestures between Benji and himself, “this.”

Ethan smirks. “Sure.”

“Oh. Well. Okay. That was easier than I expected.” Brandt’s blushing, he knows he is, so he goes back to eating and ignoring Benji giggling from the other side of the table.

They eat quietly for a while and then ease back into conversation. From there it’s easier, the tension dissipates and soon they’re laughing about a story Ethan’s telling about his latest solo mission. It’s simple enough to finish eating and move from the table to the couch, Brandt finding himself practically sandwiched between Benji and Ethan. It’s not bad, though, and he’s not exactly surprised when there’s a lull in the conversation and Benji leans into him and kisses him. It’s leisurely, and Brandt melts into it, would probably forget Ethan was there if it weren’t for the fact that there are two hands slowly roaming along his back and sides.

Brandt feels Ethan shift behind him and then he’s kissing his neck. Brandt shivers and has to stop kissing Benji for a second to catch his breath. Benji’s smiling at him and then tilts his head to talk to Ethan. “Do you want to give him a hickey?” Brandt can feel Ethan smile against his skin and he groans. “Will, do you want Ethan to mark you up? Is that what I’m hearing?” Brandt nods and Benji presses a kiss to the side of his head, unbuttoning Brandt’s shirt halfway and moving his collar out of the way for Ethan.

By the time there are three marks on Brandt’s neck and shoulder, Ethan’s hands have roamed to his thighs. Brandt makes needy noises into Benji’s mouth as they kiss. Benji pulls back and looks at Brandt, studying his face for a second before smiling softly and kissing him again, quickly, and pulling back again. “Bedroom’s free, you know.”

Brandt kisses Benji fiercely before standing up and pulling Ethan to the bedroom, almost impatiently, while Benji laughs and calls after them, “You two have fun! Call me when you’re done I want to cuddle!”

\--- 

Benji’s a couple chapters into The Martian before he gets a text; he opens it and laughs to himself.

_From: Agent Brandt  
Oh my god._

He wanders into the bedroom to find Ethan looking smug and Brandt looking dazedly at the ceiling.

“I take it you lived up to your reputation, Ethan.”

“You know me, Benji, always try my best.”

Benji climbs into bed next to Brandt and kisses him on the cheek. “Hey.”

Brandt turns his head, smiling, and kisses Benji lazily. “Hey yourself.”

“I take it you’re not regretting your decision?”

“Not even a little.”

“Good. I kinda like getting you all worked up then sending you off to be ravaged by Ethan. Makes me feel powerful.”

“How do you know it’s Ethan doing the ravaging and not me?” It’s said around a yawn, and Ethan scoffs from behind him.

“Will, I walked in and you looked as if you had witnessed a miracle, no matter what happened I think that counts as Ethan ravaging you.”

“He has a point.” Ethan pushes up on an elbow to join the conversation.

“I’m never going to catch a break with you two, am I?”

“Not a chance.” Benji grins at him and Ethan before leaning over and giving them both a kiss. He tucks himself into Brandt’s neck, stretches a hand over to Ethan, and closes his eyes. His two most important people are here with him, warm and safe, in a slightly-too-small bed, and nothing has ever felt more right.


End file.
